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Rice spent the first four seasons of his career in Minnesota, and was a Pro Bowler in 2009. He missed most of the 2010 season after undergoing offseason surgery on his hip two weeks before the season started.

Whatever the reason, Rice tells Jeremy Fowler that the Vikings never called him to negotiate in free agency.

“If you hear from them throughout the rest of the season telling you they are going to be in touch, are going to negotiate and it never happens, you’ve got to wonder – do they really want me there or not?” Rice told Fowler of the Pioneer Press. “I just didn’t feel it. … It came down to Seattle showing me they wanted me to be a part of the program.”

It may have been a numbers game: Rice’s deal with the Seahawks will pay him $41 million over five years with $18 million guaranteed.

Asked Thursday in Seattle if he was surprised by the Vikings’ lack of interest, Rice said “a little bit,” but that “it is what it is. I’m a Seahawk now. I’m happy with the decision I made and I look forward to excelling here.”

And he was asked about his mindset entering free agency: “Just seeing who was interested and that’s basically what I did. At the end of the day, it came down to the Vikings and the Seahawks, and I’m here now.”

Rice has publicly downplayed the revenge factor as Seattle hosts Minnesota in a preseason game on Saturday. But this report makes you wonder if there may be a little more to it than meets the eye.